The Countryside Alliance is proud to back a new Farmers Guardian campaign which has been launched to educate the public about the impact of livestock worrying by dogs with the ultimate aim of reducing the growing number of attacks. Backed by leading farming and rural organisations, Take the Lead was set up in response to shocking new statistics which revealed the number of incidents has jumped by more than 50 per cent in the last three years.

Reports uncovered from Freedom of Information requests to UK police forces showed there were more than 1,000 attacks by dogs in 2013, up from 691 in 2011.

From sheep, lambs, cattle and horses being savaged, to ewes aborting due to stress and animals dying of exhaustion after being chased, the statistics make for grim reading.

But Farmers Guardian is taking the lead on the issue and, in conjunction with the National Sheep Association (NSA) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA), is calling for a united approach from the farming sector, countryside organisations, MPs, the dog industry and wider public. Read more here.